Grilled Veggie Pizza

Wow, it has been forever and a day since I posted. I moved out of my parents house and into an apartment on my own, so I don't have anyone to cook for anymore! I will have to make a conscious effort to invite people over to I can try out new recipes! I went over to my parents house last night for my favorite summertime meal, grilled veggie pizza. Its so easy and lite, perfect for a sunny summer evening. Go out to your local farmers market to get the freshest ingredients for this pizza! Here's what you'll need:

Your favorite summertime veggies, some of my favorites are
yellow squash
zucchini
asparagus
onion, white or red
mushrooms
bell peppers, red or yellow
whatever else you can think of!
Mozzarella cheese, fresh melts best
Parmesan cheese
roasted garlic
olive oil

Here's the recipe for the best homemade pizza crust
To roast the garlic you will need to slice the top off the whole head of garlic so that all the cloves are exposed. Place in a pie pan, or other small dish, drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes. It will create a delicious smell throughout your house! You can roast as many heads of garlic at a time as you want, as long as they fit into your pan. You can use the garlic for lots of things like this pizza, or in mashed potatoes (yum-o) whatever floats your boat.

Now onto the veggies, its best to cut them into large-ish pieces so they don't fall through the grill, unless you have one of those fancy schmancy veggie trays for your grill. Slice the zucchini and squash long ways, the onions into fairly large slices and you might want to make an aluminum foil basket for the smaller things like mushrooms and bell peppers. toss all the veggies in olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper and throw them onto the grill. Cook to desired doneness, about 8-10 minutes usually. Remove the veggies from the grill, but keep it on.

With the dough we usually cut the dough into two pieces to make it easier to handle and make 2 pizzas. Once the dough is rolled out, take it to the grill and place it carefully on the grill, shut the cover and let cook for 5 minutes. While the dough is cooking on the grill squeeze 5 or 6 of the garlic cloves out of the head of garlic and smoosh them up in a bowl to make a paste. After 5 minutes on the grill flip the pizza dough over and spread the garlic paste evenly over both pizzas. Drizzle them with olive oil and place the Mozzarella cheese on the crust. Toss the veggies onto the pizza and arrange them how you want then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Cover the grill for just about a minute, you don't want the crust to burn! Taking the pizzas off the grill can be a 2 person job, using big spatulas remove them to a large serving platter or cookie sheet. Slice and enjoy!

It's been a while...

But I'm back with a new recipe for you! It's another pasta one, they're so easy and cheap, so give it a try! Here's what you need

16oz pasta (ziti, penne, any tube pasta will do)
28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 lb ground beef
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook the pasta as directed on the package, drain and drizzle a little EVOO on it, just to keep it from sticking. While pasta is cooking brown the ground beef, drain and add crushed tomatoes. Add about 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of black pepper, then add 1 tsp Italian seasoning. Stir the sauce and let simmer for 20 minutes. Combine cooked pasta, sauce and 1 1/2 cups cheese and pour into greased baking dish. Sprinkle the top with remaining cheese and cook at 375 for 40 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling.
This recipe would also be great if you used half sausage and half ground beef to add some extra flavor. Enjoy!

Twilight Tide Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Twilight Tide Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Dinner for a cold day...Stew

Since we're expecting snow tonight (ridiculous, I know!) I just put stew in the crockpot so we can stay warm tonight. Its so easy and so delish, you have to try it! Here's what you need:

Mix in a crockpot or 5-6 quart dutch oven
1 (16oz) can crushed tomatoes
2/3 Cup dry red wine or water
1/2 Cup beef broth
1/4 Cup quick cooking tapioca
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp salt
2 small bay leaves

Stir in:
3 lbs cubed stew meat

Add:
1 lb carrots, scrubbed and cut into bite sized pieces
3 medium size onions, peeled an quartered
3-4 medium sized potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

Crockpot instructions:
Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high 2-3 hours, or until meat is tender and sauce thickened.

Dutch Oven instructions:
Cover and bake about 3 hours in 350 degree oven, stirring twice, until meat is tender and sauce thickened.

You can add 1/2 bag frozen corn 1-2 hours before serving. Be sure to discard the bay leaves before serving. Enjoy!

Black Bean Dip

This recipe is so easy and delicious, way better than the stuff you get in a can! Here's what you need:

1 can black beans, undrained
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 small white onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp of the already minced stuff)
1 4oz can chopped mild green chiles, drained

Drain beans, reserving 2 Tbsp liquid. Combine drained beans, reserve liquid and spices in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Sautee onion and garlic in a nonstick skillet until onion is soft and lightly browned. Add chiles and cook about 3 minutes, then add in the bean mixture and mix well.
This dip can be served warm or cold, its great either way. Enjoy!

Aunt Rose's Beef Enchiladas

This is my great aunt Rose's recipe for beef enchiladas, they are so yummy and easy to make! Here's what you need:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 sm can tomato sauce
12 corn tortillas (I always seem to need more)
2 Cups grated cheese (Mexican blend is best)
oil

Brown meat and onions, drain, cool. Mix enchilada sauce and tomato sauce. Add 1 1/2 Cups cheese and 1/4 Cup sauce. Toss lightly. Dip each tortilla in hot oil til soft, stack on paper towels, let cool slightly. Fill tortilla with 2 Tbsp meat mixture. Roll up, put in greased casserole dish, repeat until all filling is gone. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes.
You can make these ahead of time and freeze them if you like, just leave the sauce and cheese off the top, add them after they are thawed.

Happy Birthday Mom

This 4 layer dessert is so yummy and I made it for my mom's birthday celebration tonight. Here's what you need:

1 Cup flour
1/4 Cup butter, melted
2 oz chopped pecans
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 Cup confectioners sugar
2 80z pkgs cool whip
2 small pkgs chocolate pudding mix
cold milk
chocolate candy bar (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour, butter and pecans in a small bowl and press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place in the oven for 15 minutes and remove, allow to cool completely. Combine cream cheese, confectioners sugar and 1 pkg of cool whip with a mixer until no longer lumpy. Spread over the crust. Mix pudding according to package directions and spread over cream cheese layer once thickened. Spread remaining package of cool whip over the top. Using a vegetable peeler, peel chocolate shavings over the top. Refrigerate over night and enjoy!